GAYLORD — Alcohol, drugs, gambling, overeating, sex — there is now a program for all types of habits, hurts and hang-ups offered at the Gaylord Community Church.

Led by Gary Chappell, a chaplain ordained through the International Fellowship of Chaplains and Gaylord Community Church, Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered program that covers the gamut of addiction.

Chappell, a Michigan State Police trooper, retired in 1995.

“Then my life just took off with God,” he said.

Celebrate Recovery is a program of action. Visitors participate in praise and worship and a sermon before breaking into small discussion groups.

“It’s very structured,” said Keith, a program leader who has struggled with alcohol addiction since his teens. “People who go to structured (meetings) have more years of success.”

According to Keith, whose anonymity will be protected due to societal stigmas attached to alcoholism, there were only two or three groups in the Gaylord area a couple years ago. Now, he reported, there are approximately six groups related to alcohol or drugs and another three or four groups dealing with codependency.

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Though he has attended other groups, Keith struggled with the spiritual aspect of his recovery.

Trying to get his hand around this “God” thing, Keith started having meetings at his home. And soon, Chappell began attending the home meetings.

“It was very obvious God was getting me involved,” Chappell noted.

Chappell began searching the Internet for Christian-based recovery programs and then he learned of Celebrate Recovery.

The program was originated in 1991 by the Rev. John Baker of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., the largest church in California and the fourth largest church in the United States. The church was founded in 1980 by the Rev. Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life.”

Chappell reported that Gaylord Community Church has a strong youth program.

“We want to grab these kids early on,” he said.

But, Chappell added, that if young people are having trouble with an addictive behavior, they are welcome at Celebrate Recovery.

“If there are kids with addiction issues, we work with them as well,” Chappell noted.

GAYLORD — Keith’s journey with alcohol isn’t unique — except for the fact that it happened to him.

Like many young people, Keith started out partying in high school and on through college for the social aspect.

The lifelong resident of Gaylord was not from a family of alcoholics, yet he went through life using alcohol as a crutch. In his adult years, his alcohol use switched from a social aspect to a medication to relieve stress, worry and pain.

“I was trying to kill pain with it constantly,” he said. “I was letting go of all the things of value to me.

“When the Bible says you shouldn’t serve two masters, alcohol was my master,” he added.

Keith saw his successes in life progressing. He was attaining all of life’s goals. He had a six-figure income and all the luxuries that go with it. But his alcoholism also was progressing.

“In a year and a half I gave it all away because I didn’t stop drinking,” he said.

He lost it all: assets, job, support, relationships. He had to move back in with his mother.

“I ended up at a homeless shelter,” he said. “My mother was done. She kicked me out.”

For that Keith is grateful.

“That’s what you have to do,” he said. “Stop picking up the alcoholic. Everyone has a bottom and everyone is different.

“It’s not an unusual story. It’s a story that 50 percent have some level of somebody in their household or know somebody in the family with an addiction problem. And very few seek treatment.”